1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plant viral disease inhibitor. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with plant viral disease inhibitor containing those components extracted from leaves of tea as active ingredient thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, research has been conducted in connection with the pharmacological action of tea. However, substantially no single component contained in tea has been experimented or tested to evidence the effect thereof.
The inventor has endeavored to find new uses for tea, in particular, to make the most of tea without wasting any part thereof as a pharmaceutically or biologically active agent, e.g. a biocide. During the investigations, it has been found that an extract of tea prevents generation of Dahlia mosaic virus, Crotalaria mosaic virus and Adzuki mosaic virus, and furthermore that the tannin of tea controls the diseases of a Japanese bladder cherry, an eggplant, a tomato, tobacco-By No. 4, etc., which have been inoculated with Tobacco mosaic virus. Thus, it has now been found that theaflavin contained in leaves of tea and its derivatives have an action to inhibit plant viral diseases.